Group Charges FG On Securing The Nation From Terrorists

Civil Society groups  across Nigeria, on Friday, called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency and concern fulfill it's primary constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and properties from terrorists being underplayed as bandits.

The group, made up of 50 Non-Governmental Organisations, noted that the call has become necessary in the wake of escalating attacks of wanton killings of thousands of persons in all part of Nigeria, citing the recent Abuja-Kaduna train bombing. 

According to the group, these are signals of a total collapse of the country's security architecture.

Auwal Musa-Rafsanjani, the Executive Director Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC) said this at a news briefing tagged 'Nigerian Lives Matter'; a call to the Federal Government to fulfill it's primary constitutional responsibility of securing the nation',in Abuja.

Musa-Rafsanjani said despite continuous assurance by the Federal Government on the military defeating the terrorist tactically,reality tells a different story as it is evident of the various attacks seen in all parts of the country.

"Why lie to Nigerians for your failure of making the country safe from all these attacks.

"We live in constant fear kidnapping,bombing,with endless list of brazen attacks.

"Most recently being the bombing of the Abuja-Kaduna train and the Gidan train station, attack on the Kaduna airport,the takeover of the Kaduna-Abuja expressway by terrorist groups,the siege  on nine communities resulting to loosing over 100 lives with unspecified number of persons abducted.

"The increased attacks in Imo state,attack on Nnewi LGA, gang wars in Lagos and Ogun state, killings of over 65 persons in Kebbi state,the attack o Kwali area council of FCT, the list is endless. 

"Corruption in the security sector has made Nigeria vulnerable to insecurity, even with the huge budgetary allocation channeled to this sector, it is time to be responsive to the plights of the nation," he stressed.

Executive Director Global Rights, Abiodun Baiyewo, reiterated the need for government to take urgent and deliberate actions to live up to its constitutional duties to ensuring security and welfare of all Nigerians.

She said the Federal government has to "review the nation's security and be more proactive in building the capacity of intelligence agencies, be humane in it's actions as mandated by section17(2)(c) of the constitution.

"They need to take immediate action to rescue all abducted persons and also account for the missing,and the dead in the Abuja-Kaduna train bombing and also conduct independent inquiry into the immediate and remote circumstances that enabled it.

Also, Lemmy Ughegbe of Make A Difference Initiative said there is a need for government to begin to tow in the line of community policing as this will provide comprehensive report of activities in the rural area that can help curb the menace that is bedevilling the country.

"There is no better time than now for the federal government to begin to think about implementing the community policing scheme as this will help a great deal because most of these security issues we are experiencing are in the community and if this is put in place it could help a great.

On the issue of acording Nigerians the freedom of bearing arms, Ughegbe said now is not the right time as tensions are high and granting this or making it available might cause more harm than good "as releasing more ammunition to the society is not the answer to Nigeria's security challenge."